Shuriken Heart
by Evil's Incarnation
Summary: It's always been about Sasuke. And Naruto will stop at nothing to reclaim the one he cherishes above all else. All because he refuses to lose Sasuke a second time. Time jump and Shippuuden Naruto with a yaoi spin. Pairings with ItaSasuNaru
1. Chapter 1

**The Shuriken Heart**

_Like a shuriken, a double-edged heart can be a deadly weapon._

* * *

**Genre**: Romance/Angst/Drama

**Rating**: T for language, graphic violence, and sexual content

**Summary**: Naruto never stopped searching for Sasuke, not for a single moment. What happens when Naruto turns his back on his village, friends, and former dream in pursuit of the one he cherishes above everything else, getting caught in the Uchihas' endless cycle of hatred, and even going so far as to join the enemy? This is an alternate version of what really happened during and after the time skip.

**Pairings**: Naruto Sasuke Itachi love triangle? Or... prism?

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Naruto. Obviously.

**Warnings**: Shonen-ai, spoilers, insanely weird plot twists, and whatever else my sadistic mind comes up with.

* * *

**Chapter 1**

He would bring Sasuke back, no matter what the cost. He made a promise, as much to Sakura as to himself. Ever since the failed rescue mission from two weeks ago, he had begun forming ideas in his mind of rescuing the wayward Uchiha from the treacherous clutches of Orochimaru.

Naruto involuntarily clenched his fists in frustration. Power. Was that what all Uchihas sought? After all, what other motive did Itachi have for murdering his entire clan? And now, Sasuke was the one to suffer for the consequences of his brother's actions – the sole survivor of the massacre, an avenger meant to atone for Itachi's sins. Yet why couldn't Sasuke leave the past behind? Why must he sacrifice everything merely for the sake of revenge? Why is he so firmly fixated on destroying Itachi, even if it cost him his own body?

The blond genin stared pensively into his half-finished bowl of Ichiraku ramen, as if it held all the secrets to the world. At least, he wished it would give him some way to bring Sasuke back. Bright blue eyes glazed over as memories of their final battle in the Valley of the End replayed themselves in his mind. The sight of his best friend and teammate through countless missions, with the curse seal covering half his body, caused Naruto to shiver even now. But the look in those crimson Sharingan eyes as they faced off across the waterfall, so full of pain and hatred, broke his heart. Looking back on it now, Naruto realized what a hopeless effort it had been to try to prevent Sasuke from leaving. Deep down, he always knew that Sasuke would choose power over his teammates, his village, and over _him_.

"Naruto? Are you ok? You haven't finished your ramen," Ayame's voice brought Naruto out of his thoughts.

He glanced up, seeing the worried of face of the ramen shop owner's daughter hovering over him, and quickly grinned, scratching the back of his head sheepishly. "Oh, sorry, I guess I ate so much this morning that I'm not really hungry," he explained. "Besides, Ero-Sennin I mean- Jiraiya is away on a mission right now, so I haven't done much training lately." He smiled again, hoping that it looked sincere enough to obscure his troubled thoughts.

"Alright, but don't push yourself," replied Ayame. "You've only been out of the hospital for a week, right?"

"Thanks for the concern, but I'll be fine," said Naruto good-naturedly, standing up to leave. "Ja-ne, Onee-chan, and thanks for the ramen." With a little wave, he jogged out of the shade of the ramen shop into the glaring mid-day light, shielding his eyes from the sun.

Naruto trudged down the road, hands jammed into his pockets, kicking a pebble in a disgruntled manner as he went. It was true that he had done little training recently. No matter how quickly his body recovered from its injuries, he couldn't train properly until Ero-sennin returned, whenever that may be. Naruto inwardly cursed his perverted sensei for his carelessness; he wanted to, _needed_ to become stronger as soon as possible for Sasuke. Three years until Orochimaru would transfer bodies, but it might be too late then.

The blond ninja happened to lift his gaze, and paused in his tracks. Before him was the balcony where he and the rest of Team Seven had first gathered after graduating from the Academy. A fond smile spread across his face as he recalled sitting there with Kakashi-sensei, Sakura, and Sasuke. _"There is a man that I must kill."_ Even back then, Sasuke had been obsessed with revenge; it consumed him now, poisoned his being until only hatred remained.

Painfully, Naruto tore his eyes away, and looked across the street. There, in a deserted storeroom, was the first time he had successfully caught Sasuke by surprise, tied him down, and transformed into the Uchiha in an attempt to win over Sakura. Unfortunately, his plan had failed, miserably. _But it was still fun_, reflected Naruto. He wished now, more than anything, that they could all return to those days – days that he cherished above all else.

Naruto shuffled along, deciding to head for the Hokage Tower to badger the old lady Tsunade for more missions. After all, he had nothing else to do with his spare time, and missions can keep his mind off of his current predicament.

A few minutes later, Naruto stopped again. A pink-haired girl stood in front of him, seemingly lost in thought as she stared wistfully up at a darkened apartment window. Naruto followed her gaze, and realized with a sinking stomach that it was Sasuke's apartment. No, it still _is_Sasuke's, because he will return soon. Naruto wanted to believe, he had to, because he was the only one who still did.

"Good afternoon, Sakura-chan," called out Naruto in a falsely cheery voice, walking up to his teammate.

"Oh, Naruto-kun, good afternoon," replied Sakura, slightly startled by the blond's sudden appearance. "How are you? Have your wounds recovered?"

"Yeah, they were nothing, really. How has your training been with the old lady Tsunade?"

"Good! I've been training with her every day," said Sakura, flashing Naruto a rare smile. She hardly smiled anymore, not since Sasuke's departure.

Naruto grinned, glad that Sakura seemed to be deriving some self-satisfaction from her training. "That's great, I was just on my way to see if she has any new missions for me."

"Oh, I see. You're working so hard these days, Naruto-kun," said Sakura, a touch of concern creeping into her voice.

"Nah, Ero-sennin hasn't been around to train me properly, so these missions keep me busy," replied Naruto dismissively. _Besides, they help keep my mind off of Sasuke._

"Really? I just saw him there in Tsunade-sama's office when I left," said Sakura, tilting her head quizzically.

"EH?! You mean he's finally back?!" shouted Naruto, eyes popping wide in a mixture of shock and outrage. "ThanksSakuraSeeya!" With that, he took off toward the Hokage tower, leaving a cloud of dust in his wake.

The pink-haired genin blinked, shook her head bemusedly, and walked off in the opposite direction.

* * *

Tsunade fanned herself with a sheaf of papers – important documents that were purposefully being ignored. A fine sheen of sweat coated her forehead, matting her normally immaculate blond hair. One eyelid twitched involuntarily as the lady Hokage teetered dangerously on the verge of losing her temper. She struggled to listen to Jiraiya's latest report on the Akatsuki, yet as crucial as the information was, the insufferable heat diluted her attention.

"Shizune!" she snapped, cutting off Jiraiya mid-sentence. "When did you say the ventilation would be fixed by?"

The black-haired woman started, quickly regained her composure, and replied in a consoling voice, "By this evening at the latest, Hokage-sama. They are working on it as fast as they can."

Tsunade gulped down a cup of water before turning back to Jiraiya. To her great annoyance, she noticed that neither of the other two in the room seems to be affected by the heat. Picking up her makeshift fan, she looked pointedly at Jiraiya for him to continue.

"It seems that the Akatsuki have decided to fall back for now," said the white-haired man; the grave expression on his face made him look old and weathered. "I've been tracking them for the past two weeks, though they're clever in covering up their tracks. But from what I've seen, they seem to be regrouping. I only came back when it became impossible to follow them any further. At one point or another, they must have discovered my presence, and scattered in different directions."

"I see," said Tsunade, rapidly fanning herself. "What do you make of this then? The Akatsuki never do anything without a good reason. What will be their next course of action?"

"We've known that their primary target is Naruto," said Jiraiya, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "But since their last attempt at kidnapping him failed, they are most likely planning to bide their time until another opportunity presents itself. They will be especially careful from now on, since they know that we are aware of what they're after."

"To extract the Kyuubi from Naruto," Tsunade said flatly. "We still don't know who their leader is, or even their ultimate purpose, but should their plans succeed, it will be an advent of epic proportions. With the power of the Kyuubi at their disposal, Akatsuki will become the most feared organization in the country, and there will be no limit as to what they can accomplish. Even Konoha will bow down to their power, and…" she paused, gazing off into space as her mind traveled back in time. "The sacrifices of the Fourth and countless shinobi will have been in vain," she finished in a faint voice.

"Tsunade-sama…" murmured Shizune gently, sensing the pain behind the lady Hokage's words.

Jiraiya remained silent for a moment, before continuing in an even tone, "I think it would be best if I take Naruto away from Konoha and train him elsewhere for these next three years, at least until Orochimaru's plans are set in motion. If it's only the two of us, it's easier for me to keep an eye on him at all times. And, it will lessen the chances of Akatsuki targeting Konoha. We saw firsthand what happened last time when they infiltrated the village, and it had only taken two members to cause such extensive damage to several of our top Jounin."

Tsunade said nothing as she let the impact of Jiraiya's speech sink in. As much as she hated to admit it, the old pervert made a good point. "So be it," she declared finally, pinning Jiraiya with the full force of her piercing gaze. "You have my permission to leave the village and train Naruto abroad for these next three years. I trust that the runt will be safe in your care."

Jiraiya opened his mouth to respond, yet his words quickly died in his throat as a mass of orange and yellow suddenly broke down the closed double doors and crashed headfirst into the Hokage's office.

* * *

Naruto landed in an ungainly heap in front of Tsunade's desk. Gingerly, he sat up, rubbing the growing lump on his head - a result of his dramatic entry. He hadn't expected the door to swing open so easily – much less off its hinges - since it was usually locked. Blinking away the stars that danced in front of his eyes, the blond leapt to his feet and found himself face to face with Ero-sennin. A maelstrom of conflicting emotions washed over him at the sight of his sensei, but in the end, righteous fury won over the rest.

"ERO-SENNIN!!" exploded Naruto, blue eyes crackling with anger. "Where the hell have you been?! You're so perverted that you had to take off for two whole weeks to gather your so-called research?! What about my training, or is that just not important anymore?!" Naruto panted heavily, having finished his tirade in one breath, and settled for glaring daggers at the older man. His clenched fists hung at his sides, knuckles white, quivering with rage.

Jiraiya stared at Naruto blankly for several long seconds, taken aback by the abrupt outburst. Then, a wide grin spread across his face as he swung an arm around Naruto and ruffled his hair, laughing complacently. "Seems as if you haven't changed one bit! Still enthusiastic as ever! Since you're so desperate to begin training, we leave first thing tomorrow morning. Later then, don't be late!" With that, the white-haired man walked out of the office, his laughter echoing down the hallway.

"Er… Um… Wha…?" sputtered Naruto, unable to process so many things in such a short amount of time and rendered speechless by Ero-sennin's sudden departure. "Hey, wai-" he began, moving to follow his sensei, when a chill running down his spine stopped him in his tracks. Slowly, he turned around, a feeling of dread knotting his stomach. What he saw made all the hairs on his head stand on end.

Gleaming yellow eyes glowered at him from Tsunade's face, a vein pulsing visibly in her forehead. A dark shadow clouded her entire face and… was that a demonic aura in the background?! Naruto gulped audibly, feeling his knees go weak. If looks could kill…

"Na-ru-to …" snarled Tsunade through clenched teeth, emphasizing each syllable.

The blond genin stood stock-still, frozen in terror, absolutely certain that he was about to die.

"Um… Naruto-kun," said Shizune, quickly stepping in between Naruto and Tsunade with a nervous smile on her face. "I think what Tsunade-sama wants is for you to pay for the damages to her office, from the door you broke down earlier. You should probably get going now."

Naruto didn't need to be told twice. Finally regaining control of his limbs, he took off down the hallway and flew down the stairs, not stopping until he was well away from Hokage Tower. Now he knew why Jiraiya had left in such a hurry.

* * *

Later that evening, Naruto sat cross-legged on his bed with a backpack in front of him and various objects strewn about, ready to be packed. His frog purse lay on its belly beside him, half-full from the money he earned on missions.

"Hm… Let's see… Instant ramen, check," muttered Naruto to himself, sifting through the contents of his bag. "Weapons, check; clothes, check; money, check…" he paused, digging further, and in a slightly panicked voice, "Damn! Where did it go?"

A few more seconds of furiously rummaging, and he surveyed the stray items on his bed, before his eyes alighted on the object of his search: a Hidden Leaf forehead protector with a single scratch across the center. Naruto picked up the forehead protector that had once belonged to Sasuke, holding it reverently – almost lovingly – for a brief moment before stuffing it unceremoniously into the bulging backpack. He flipped the clasps on the flap of the backpack shut with a decisive snap and set it down on the floor beside his bed. Pushing the remaining objects off of his bed, Naruto turned off the bedside lamp and burrowed beneath the covers.

After a minute of restless tossing and turning, he flipped over onto his back with a weary sigh and stared up at the dark ceiling. Tomorrow he would finally be leaving for his long-anticipated training with Jiraiya. No more slacking off, no more aimlessly idling away the days. He would make the most of the time he had with Ero-sennin, and he would train harder than ever to become strong. _Strong for Sasuke_… With that last thought, his eyes slipped shut, and sleep enveloped him in its comforting embrace.

* * *

Head bowed, raven hair obscuring his face, it took all of his willpower to merely stand upright. His breath came in short, ragged gasps as his entire body trembled from his previous exertions. A snarl escaped from his lips, hands fisted in frustration.

"_You are weak. Why are you so weak? Because you lack hatred…"_

With a vicious cry, Sasuke charged at Orochimaru, eyes ablaze with crimson Sharingan, chakra crackling in his palm in the form of Chidori. Yet as he swung his arm back to strike, the older man suddenly melted into the shadows. Too late to divert his attack, Sasuke heard a resounding bang as his attack met with the stone wall of the underground chamber. Quickly leaping back from the crumbling wall, Sasuke wiped the debris from his face and scanned the surrounding darkness, searching for his target.

The younger Uchiha clenched his teeth in anger. Two weeks with the man who had caused him endless agony by forcing onto him the cursed seal, and the training was more grueling than ever. Already, he had proved hopelessly incapable of mastering the only new technique Orochimaru bothered to teach him, and seemed to be making no progress whatsoever. Perhaps coming to Orochimaru had been a mistake after all… No, he needed the power, and Orochimaru was the only one who could provide it. Here was finally a way to obtain the strength he needed to defeat Itachi, something that he would never find in Konoha.

And it had been worth it. Worth leaving behind his life, his village, his friends… worth leaving Naruto. _Then why do I need to keep convincing myself?_

The sound of a cold, sinister laugh brought Sasuke out of his broodings. He looked up in time to see Orochimaru slowly approaching him, a sadistic smirk plastered on his pale lips. Inwardly recoiling, Sasuke braced himself for what would undoubtedly come next.

"Such a lovely expression you're wearing," marveled Orochimaru, reaching out with one hand to caress Sasuke's cheek. "Filled with such hatred… Perfect for those beautiful Sharingan eyes."

Sasuke turned his head, just enough to escape Orochimaru's touch – the dreaded contact that felt like snakes slithering across his skin. A shudder rippled down Sasuke's spine, yet despite his attempts at hiding it, the movement did not go unnoticed by Orochimaru. A low chuckle rumbled deep within the man's chest, his smirk widening into a bemused grin. Sasuke watched warily as an abnormally long tongue darted out like a serpent from the dark cavern of Orochimaru's mouth, and struggled to push down a growing sense of disgust.

"What's this? Is my pupil afraid of his sensei?" hissed Orochimaru. His tongue slid across the width of Sasuke's jaw before traveling down his neck, pausing at the Curse Seal. "Remember, you came to me of your own free will, Sasuke-kun." The older man grasped his shoulders and leaned down, burying his face in Sasuke's neck as his tongue probed at the dark bruise of the seal.

Sasuke remained silent, his body rigid with anger at the humiliation he was constantly forced to endure. But that was the price of his promised power, one that he was more than willing to pay. A bitter smile twisted his lips as memories of his childhood spent with Itachi came, unbidden, into his mind. He could only imagine what his brother would say if he could see him now, whoring himself for power. _It's all for you, Itachi. You've given me my only purpose in life. _

"I finally have you now, my precious Sasuke," whispered Orochimaru. Without warning, he bit down on the Curse Seal.

Sasuke cried aloud from the sudden burst of pain, blood Sharingan dissolving into coal black as he collapsed against Orochimaru, writhing in agony. And over the sound of his own tortured screams, he distinctly heard the cruel, mirthless laughter of Orochimaru echoing in the vast darkness.

* * *

**End angst. I mean, end Chapter 1.**

**So... -crickets chirp- This is actually my first attempt at writing fanfiction, and I must admit, I still harbor some reservations about using other people's characters, but... I suppose it didn't turn out horribly atrocious. If anyone actually enjoyed it, I must warn you right now that I won't be updating very often. At all. This is more like a side project of mine that I will occasionally work on to stimulate some dead brain cells and get the old creative juices running whenever I seem to be in a writing slump. I have planned out the story, so it's not a complete flop, but whether or not I'll ever finish it remains doubtful.**

**And be expecting Itachi and Kisame to show up next chapter.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"Training, training!" chanted Naruto in a singsong voice, grinning from ear-to-ear as he marched down the path that led to the Konoha gates.

A crisp breeze rustled the trees on the side of the road, shades of gold and russet tinting their leaves with the onset of autumn. The first rays of the rising sun spilt over the hills on the distant horizon, casting the world in a faint grey light. Naruto inhaled deeply, relishing the crisp morning air. Finally, the day that he had looked forward to for the past two weeks was here. He chuckled almost giddily to himself; his body quivered from head to toe with the adrenaline pumping through his veins. Try as he might, he couldn't remember the last time he had felt so energized, or excited.

The blond genin came to a stop just outside the large wooden gates. He looked around, hoping to catch a glimpse of white hair or red clothing, but Jiraiya was nowhere in sight. Figures. Slightly put out, Naruto leaned against the nearby gate with a sigh and prepared to wait.

Some time later, Naruto leapt up with a start as he caught the faint yet unmistakable sound of approaching footsteps. He hastily rubbed his eyes and straightened his backpack, all the while berating himself for having dozed off. Still, it wasn't really his fault. The old frog hermit had a nasty habit of making people wait.

"Oy! Naruto!"

Naruto turned around to see Jiraiya waving at him with a goofy grin on his face as he approached the gates.

"You're late," said Naruto bluntly as his sensei stopped beside him, crossing his arms in what he hoped was a menacing gesture.

"Well, yes, I had a bit of last-minute business to finish up before I could come." Jiraiya smiled sheepishly as he ruffled Naruto's hair. "So impatient, aren't we?" With a hearty laugh, he set off down the path that led away from the village.

Naruto trotted to catch up and fell into step beside Jiraiya, his former excitement quickly returning. "Finally! I can't wait to get started! You'll see. I'm gonna become the strongest ninja in Konoha in no time!" A smile spread across his face at that thought.

"Heh. Don't be so sure of yourself. You've got a long way to go yet," replied Jiraiya teasingly.

"As long as I have people to protect, there's no doubt that I will become stronger." Even as the words left his mouth, an image of a young boy with dark brown eyes and long black hair tied back in a bun flashed before his eyes. And that same beautiful face, so pale and lifeless…

"Is that so." Jiraiya's voice broke through Naruto's thoughts.

All too happy with the interruption, the blond genin said nothing and merely focused on the road beneath his feet.

People to protect… No, that was no longer the reason. It may have been true before, but now, it was just an empty lie, a cover-up. As much as he hated to admit to himself, the only thing now – the only person – that fueled his burning desire to become stronger was Sasuke. Silently, he apologized to Sakura, to Kakashi-sensei, and everyone else he had come to befriend in Konoha. They were important to him – that much was true – but Sasuke took priority over everyone.

It was just then that Naruto realized what a fool he had been. All along, the person most precious to him had been Sasuke. And Naruto had let him go.

"Naruto?" Jiraiya prodded, noticing Naruto's uncharacteristic silence.

The blond roused himself with a shake of his head, forcibly trying to scatter the dark thoughts that constantly plagued his mind. When he looked up at Ero-sennin, the usual grin graced his features, appearing only slightly awkward.

"So where are we going first?" he asked, trying to sound as eager as he felt.

Jiraiya paused for only a second before he answered. "Hm… There's a small traveler's town that should be coming up in a couple hours. We could train nearby and rent a hotel for the night."

Naruto blinked, before the implications of what Jiraiya just said sunk in. "EH! A traveler's town! You just want to go there for the-"

"No, no, no! It's not like that at all!" Jiraiya said hastily, successfully cutting off Naruto's last word. "We'd be training the whole time! Whatever gave you an idea like that?" He laughed, and Naruto could have sworn he detected a hint of perversion in the old hermit's voice.

"Mhm… sure," muttered Naruto, not at all convinced.

"Anyway, I did you a big favor," continued Jiraiya. "If we hadn't left today, I'm sure Tsunade would have hounded you down by now and, well… I don't even want to think what she would've done to you."

Several seconds passed before Naruto finally caught on. "It was just a door," he grumbled, suppressing a shudder as he recalled the face of the lady Hokage in all her terrible fury.

Jiraiya laughed boisterously, but Naruto did not join in. A scowl of annoyance crossed his features. Why was Tsunade making such a fuss over one lousy door? After all, the old lady hardly bothered to raise a finger after hearing about Sasuke's disappearance. Why wouldn't she at least make an effort to find and bring back Sasuke? Not one search party had been sent out upon Naruto's return to Konoha. Naruto's chest tightened with a feeling of betrayal. It was as if the entire village had given up on Sasuke and turned its back on one of its own. In the end, they would forget about him, and it would be up to Naruto. It has been up to him for a long time now.

"The most important thing to me now is to find and bring back Sasuke, and nothing is going to stand in my way," said Naruto in a low, serious voice, eyes downcast, refusing to meet the gaze of Jiraiya. He knew that he would only find disapproval, accusation, and perhaps even anger in the eyes of his sensei. Naruto cringed, waiting for the stern reprimand that usually accompanied any mention of Sasuke's name. Yet none came. It was only then that Naruto realized that they had stopped walking.

Slowly, almost fearfully, Naruto forced himself to look up at his sensei, blue eyes shining fiercely with unwavering determination. Whatever Jiraiya had to say, he would take it without backing down.

Naruto was surprised to find a rueful smile on Jiraiya's face – an expression of profound sadness, seeming almost nostalgic. The boy blinked, not knowing what to say or how to react, as the silence stretched on. Finally, it was broken when Jiraiya reached forward and playfully ruffled Naruto's hair, regaining his normal inane countenance.

"Well, if we hurry, we just might be able to arrive in town by dinnertime," said Jiraiya in a light voice as he continued down the road.

Naruto stood still for a moment, unsure of what had just passed between them. Then, shaking his head with a smile, he ran to catch up.

* * *

The blond genin lay sprawled on his back, breathing heavily, glaring up at the dark expanse of the star-spattered sky. The ground beneath him was bumpy and cold, but Naruto remained motionless, not because he didn't want to move, but because he _couldn't_. He had used up all his chakra within the last five hours of training, and his entire body felt as heavy as lead. With an effort, he raised his right arm to wipe away the sweat on his forehead, wincing at the pain from his burnt palm.

Naruto growled, frustration at his own incompetence overshadowing his anger at Jiraiya. They had arrived in town just before sunset, found a hotel for the night, and eaten dinner at a nearby restaurant. Afterward, they had gone to the forest on the outskirts of town to train. And Naruto hadn't moved from this spot ever since.

"_A variation of the Rasengan?" echoed Naruto, not quite comprehending what Jiraiya had just said._

"_That's right. However, this new technique will require you to combine both your normal chakra and the red chakra into the original Rasengan. Which is why you must first master Rasengan. One-handed," explained Jiraiya, gazing down at Naruto with a bored look in his eyes. "It may take a while, so I'll be back to check on you later. Ja-ne!"_

_Naruto had watched in disbelief as Jiraiya simply walked off, waving casually over his shoulder as the sound of his perverted laughter echoed throughout the clearing. After a few seconds of incoherent spluttering – Naruto's rage at Jiraiya's flippant dismissal left him speechless – the blond settled for cursing quietly under his breath as he prepared for the long training session to come._

He had expected the training to be difficult, but not like this. After five hours of effort, he still had not come any closer to mastering the technique. Wincing, Naruto pushed himself off the ground and swayed unsteadily on his feet. Balance regained, he once again tried to summon chakra to the center of his bleeding palm, but nothing happened.

"Damn it!" shouted Naruto as he let his arms fall limply to his side in defeat. He glared at the ground as a prickling sensation stung his eyes, and with some effort willed away tears of frustration.

An image of Sasuke materialized in Naruto's mind, accompanied by a stab of remorse._Where are you now, Sasuke? _His gaze traveled upwards, as though seeking the answer somewhere amongst the stars, but he was only met by the cold and indifferent countenance of the pale half moon, so impossibly distant from its perch above the world.

Standing there, lost in a daze, Naruto felt his knees threatening to lock and decided to turn in for the night. He wouldn't be of any good to anyone if he passed out here from exhaustion. Sighing, Naruto slung his pack over his shoulder and headed off in the direction of town. Might as well get a good night's sleep so he can train again first thing tomorrow morning.

All the way back to the hotel, Naruto repeatedly chanted Sasuke's name in his mind, like a silent, sacred mantra.

* * *

"Eh? The Kyuubi brat hasn't changed much since the last time we saw him."

A pair of beady black eyes shone eerily from the shadowed depths of the forest as they caught the faint moonlight. They followed the tiny form of Naruto's retreating figure, bright with sadistic amusement and something darker, almost akin to hunger. A feral grin spread across the pale blue face, revealing duo rows of razor sharp teeth reminiscent of a shark.

"Hn," came the barely audible, disinterested response of Kisame's partner.

Crimson eyes dotted with the telltale black markings of the Sharingan remained fixed to the orange speck that was quickly disappearing from sight, unfathomable and revealing nothing of its owner's emotions. Itachi closed his eyes as Naruto vanished around the bend in the path leading to town, allowing his weary vision a brief rest. His eyesight had rapidly deteriorated over the years since attaining the Mangekyo Sharingan, and he was already beginning to feel the onset of a headache from straining his eyes in the dark for the past few hours.

"Itachi-san, your…" Kisame began with uncharacteristic hesitancy as he stole a brief glance at the stoic Uchiha. He had known Itachi long enough to know about his problem, and in spite of himself, he couldn't help but worry at times. Yet Kisame's concern, by no means, arose from any sense of affectionate sentimentality. Rather, he feared that any weakness that Itachi might exhibit would lead to jeopardizing the Akatsuki's mission.

"Five more hours," Itachi cut him off tersely.

"What?"

_Would it kill you to speak in complete sentences every once in a while?_ Kisame bit back the retort, not yet exasperated to the point of purposefully provoking the already ill-tempered Itachi. Though Itachi rarely, if at all, displayed any signs of his state of mind, Kisame knew the elder Uchiha well enough by now to be able to detect when he was in one of his dangerous moods. And now just happened to be one of those times.

"If Naruto does not return within five hours, we will have lost the opportunity to take him this time. Should we stay any longer, we risk discovery by the Sannin," elaborated Itachi, shooting a sideways red glare at Kisame, as though resenting his partner for making him explain his plan.

"Of course," said Kisame, though it was solely an automatic response. After a moment's pause, two questions sprang to his mind, the first of which he voiced aloud. "But why didn't we ambush him just now? The circumstances couldn't have been better. He was alone and worn out from training. It would have been too easy."

"That's the problem. Jiraiya would have been on his guard as long as he knows that Naruto is training out here, alone. Escaping with the Kyuubi on our hands and a Sannin in pursuit would have been… troublesome," said Itachi in a monotone, the edge of impatience in his voice growing sharper by the minute.

Kisame mulled this over in the ensuing silence. Itachi was a brilliant tactician, as to be expected of the Uchiha prodigy, and as such, he would have included in his calculations every minute detail before coming to a decision. The strategy made sense; Itachi's planning was flawless, as usual. But the thing that troubled Kisame was that it all seemed perhaps a bit _too_ perfect.

If he learned anything about the Uchiha during their time as partners, it was that Itachi tended to avoid conflict, and preferred to have others come to him. He was like a cat, waiting with a predator's patience at the mouse hole, and striking with deadly precision when the unwary prey at last walks into his trap. Maybe it was the result of the Uchiha's insatiable pride, but Kisame suspected that Itachi simply did not_want_ to capture Naruto when they had had the chance. Instead, he would rather wait and have the Kyuubi brat come willingly to _him_. Kisame shook his head; his partner's inexplicable motives puzzled him to no end. Even so, he kept these thoughts to himself, because Itachi was calling the shots on this mission.

A light breeze whispered through the forest, rustling leaves across the thick overhead canopy in a verdant tidal wave as it went. The sharp crackle of a snapping twig cut through the quiet, followed by the creaks and groans of settling trees. A tense restlessness seized the forest, draped over the trees like a heavy shroud of fear, as though they were aware of the dangerous presence that lurked beneath their branches. The tiny bell dangling from the edge of Itachi's hat jingled once, though the sound went unheard and was quickly swallowed up by the surrounding darkness.

By now the moon had climbed to zenith within the night sky, a semicircle of light in the pinpoint center of a sea of black. It was a long time before Kisame dared to voice his second question, pushing dangerously close to the invisible line that Itachi allowed no one to cross.

"Itachi-san, why capture the Kyuubi now, when he won't be needed for several more months?" Kisame asked as casually as possible, even though he knew that Itachi would not be so easily fooled by such a poorly disguised question.

"It would benefit me, but perhaps it may turn out to be advantageous for him as well. In that sense, it would be a fair exchange," came the almost immediate reply, almost as if Itachi had been expecting this question.

Kisame slowly took this in. By "him," Kisame assumed that Itachi must have been referring to the Kyuubi kid. Itachi's answer, however vague, confirmed any suspicions Kisame might have harbored since the start of their mission. A minute later, he dropped the taboo question, the deadly arrow that pierced, unrestrained, straight through the heart of the matter.

"Does this, by any chance, have something to do with Sasuke?"

Kisame took Itachi's brooding silence as an affirmative.


End file.
